Computing machine



Jan. 27, 1931. F. A. HART COMPUTING MACHINE Fired Feb. 2, 192e l N V E NTO R MLM Mfmr- VVITNESSES ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 27, 1931 UNITEDA STATESPATENT OFFICE FREDERICK A. HART, 0F NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNORTO REMINGTON TYPEWRITER COMPANY, OF ILION, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OFNEW YORK COMPUTING MACHINE Application led February 2, 1928. Serial No.251,332.

My invention relates to computing machines and especially to combinedtypewrlting and computing machines.

The invention has for its principal object to provide certainimprovements in the clearance-proof mechanism of computing machines tothe end that the printed record shall show automatically whether thetotal or balance written on the paper and cleared from the computingmechanism was a positive balance or a negative one, or, as it is morecommonly .expressed in bookkeeping, whether the balance was a debit or acredit balance. The machine is equipped with@ clearance-proof key, whichin the case of the ordinary sort of balance (usually a debit balance)will print one sign, such as a star; but in case the balance copied wasa negative balance it will automatically print another clearance sign,such, for example, as the letters CR.

To the above and other ends the invention consists in certain featuresof construction and combinations and arrangements of parts, all of whichwill be fully set forth herein and particularly pointed out in theclaims.

One form of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings,in which F ig. 1 is a conventional perspective view of those parts of aRemington combined typewriting and computing machine that are moreespecially and directly concerned with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view in section of a portion of the mechanism; and

Fig. 3 is a front View in section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

The invention is shown applied to a Remington cross-footing combinedtypewriting and computing machine of the kind that is now beingmanufactured and sold, and which is well known in the art. The greaterpart of the mechanism is substantially like that described in the patentto John C. Wahl, No.

' 1,27 0,471, dated June 25, 1918, but with some exceptions that will bepointed out.

The machine includes a Remington No. 12 typewriter (that shown in thesaid Wahl patent is :a Remington No. 11 typewriter) having attached toit .the computing mechanism described in the Wahl patent. Said mechanismincludes a main truck connected with a typewriter carriage and on whichmay be mounted a suitable number of vertical totalizers, and a crosstruck on which is mounted a cross-totalizer 1. Each vertical-totalizerisfconstructed with a foot, and the cross truck is provided with apick-up beam which, as the vertical totalizer moves into the addingcolumn position, is picked up by said foot, causing the cross totalizerto move across its actuating master Wheel in unison with the verticaltotalizer. The vertical master wheel can be reversed by a hand lever,not shown, and the cross master wheel can be reversed by means of camsmounted on the several vertical totalizers so as to cause the crosstotalizer 1 to add in one predetermined column and to subtract inanother. In some classes of work itis customary to have a verticalcolumn set aside for the writing therein of the balance disclosed in thecross totalizer, and when that is done the vertical totalizer in thatcolumn is equipped with a subtract cam so tha-t the total will besubtracted out of the cross totalizer when it is written. If this becorrectly done the operation will clear the cross totalizer. Thistotalizer as now manufactured is equipped with clearance testingmechanism such as that described in the patent to A. F. Poole, N o.1,483,67 9, dated F ebruary 12, 1924, such mechanism comprising a feelerspring-pressed against the dial pinions and adapted to move when all ofthe dials stand at zero, and said feeler controlling a-finger 2projecting upward from the totalizer and occupying the rear positionshown in Fig. 1 when the totalizer is clear, but moving forward when thetotalizer is not clear. When in its clear position, the linger 2 isadapted on the jump-back of the cross totalizer to pass under a cam 3secured to a lever arm 4 which is pivoted at 5 to a sheet metalframe-piece 6 which is secured to the main casting of the machine, thelever 4 being urged downward not onlyl by its own weight but also avspring 7. In case the totalizer is not clear thelinger 2 moves in frontof the cam 3 and does not raise it. As at present manufactured theframepiece 6 has a shelf 8 bent off therefrom and serving to limit thedownward motion of the lever 4. The Poole patent cited contains certaindevices for controlling the lever 4 which are omitted in the presentinstance, with the result that said lever 4 occupies its lower positionat all times eXcept when the cross totalizer is in its jumpedback orinitial position shown in Fig. 1, and is clear.

The mechanism shown in the present instance and cooperating with thelever 4 is, except as will be herein pointed out, the same as thatdescribed in my application for Letters Patent filed October 9, 1925,Sr. No. Said lever 4 has a bent-off ear 10 slotted to be guided by aportion of the frame iece 6, and said horizontal ear 10 is embraced bythe forked end of a lever 11 which is piv oted at 12 to the stationaryframework and is provided with a downwardly projecting arm ending in aleftward projecting nger 13. This finger extends through a guide slot inone of the front-torear sheet metal frame plates of the YWahl computingmechanism and to the left-handside of said frame plate a bell crank 14is pivoted at 15, the upstanding arm of said bell crank being in such aposition that when the lever 11 is held up by reason of the clearcondition of the totalizer as shown in Fig. 1, the bell crank can rockclockwise in Fig. 1; but when the lever 4 is down as it always is whenthe cross totalizer is not clear, then the linger 13 projects into thepath of said bell crank and locks the latter against operation. Avertical link 16 is connected at its upper end to the horizontal arm ofthe bell crank 14 and at its lower end to a clearance-proof key lever 17sometimes called a star key. This key has its button 18 in the keyboardof the machine, usually at or near the right hand side thereof, and thelever 17 is shaped about the same as one of the ordinary printing leversof the typen writer, being pivoted at its rear end at 20. The lever 17has pivoted thereto at 21 an upstanding link 22 having a cross pin 23 inits upper end. Two adjacent type bars 24 and 25 carry types for printingrespectively two special signs, such as the two letters CR l and a staras indicated in Fig. 1. 'These two type hars are operated by two bellcranks 26 and 27, the upright arms of which are like those usual in theRemington machine and like them pivoted on a cross wire 28. The

horizontal arms of these two levers have how ever been modified. Thelever 26 is cut olf at 30 and the lever 27 is made longer than `thelever 26 but has an open-ended slot 3] therein, forward of which isahorizontal part 32. The link 22 occupies the plane between these twobell cranks, In Fig. 1 said link is shown in its forward position withthe pin 23 resting on the part 32 of the lever 27, so that if the key 18were to be operated the bell crank-27 would be operated thereby and thetype bar 25 would print a star, indicating that the machine had justbeen cleared from a positive or debit balance. The link 22 can, however,he swung rearward from the position shown in Fig. 1 in which event theright-hand end of the pin 23 would come over the notch 31 and theleft-hand end of said pin would extend over the bell crank 26. If inthat event the key 18 were depressed the bellcrank 26 and type bar 24would be operated and a CR would be printed.

The link 22 is controlled by the so-called credit balance mechanism ofthe machine which will now be described.

rlhe Remington machine contains a double link 33 corresponding to thatdescribed in the Vahl patent cited and therein numbered 384, 385. Thislink normally occupies the left-hand position shown in Fig. 1 and it isso connected that if ith-e moved longitudinally toward the right it willreverse the direction of rotation of both the vertical and the crossmaster wheels, irrespective of the previous setting of each of saidwheels. If for example the cross master wheel had been set for additionthe motion of this link toward the right would set it for subtraction,and if said cross master wheel had been set for subtraction therightward motion of this link would reverse it and cause it to add. Thislink operates in the same way in the present machine as described in thel/Vahl patent but it is here shown controlled by mechanism described inmy prior Patent lilo. 1,587,304 dated Llune 1, 1926. Said link ispivoted to the upstanding arm of a bell crank 34 pivoted at 35 in theactuator framework and having' a horizontal arm which is connected by alink 36 with a Correction key lever 37 pivoted at 38. Any suitablespring 40 may be employed to hold the parts in their normal positionswith the link 33 in its lefthand position. The lever 37 is prolongedrearwardly where it is provided with a headed pivot 41 working in avertical slot 42 in a vertical link 43 which at its lower end is pivotedto the rightward extending arm 44 of a lever having also a leftwardextending arm 45. The lever 44 is mounted on aforeandaft ezitending rockshaft 46 which at its forward end is journaled in a frame plate 47secured to the left-hand front post 49 of the typewriter frame. A.three-armed lever 48 is pivoted at 50 to the lever arm 45 and to theleft of the pivot 50 it has a Credit balance key V51 secured thereto andat the right of said pivot a release key 52. The third arm of the lever48 extends downward in a curve and it has in it an arc-shaped slot 53which rides over a pin 54 projecting from the plate 47. The upperleft-hand end of the slot 53 has a locking oil-set 55. The constructionis such that if the credit balance key 51 be depressed as far as it willgo the wall of the slot 53 will slide over the pin 54 until the immunend of said slot reaches said pin whereupon the pressureof the fingerwill cause the lever 48 to rock and will cause the notch 55 to engagethe pin 54 and lock the lever 45 down against the tension of the spring40. The lever can be released at any time by a tap on the key 52 whichAwill rock the lever 48 in the opposite direction. The depression ofthis key permits spring 4() to move the vlink 33 leftward and restorethe master wheels to their original setting. Whenever the crosstotalizer is found to display a negative or credit balance, the key 51is depressed before copying such balance. Ordinarily the cross masterwheel has been automatically set for subtraction at that time so thatthe operation of the key 51 causes the master wheel to be set foraddition, the negative balance would be added into the cross totalizerand would clear the latter enabling the clearance proof key 18 to beoperated.

The shaft 46 is the one which in the Remington machine controls thethrow of the ribbon vibrator, and in case the machine is equipped with atwo-color ribbon it controls the color of the printing. To this end saidshaft has depending therefrom an arm 56 to which is pivoted a link 57extending to the ribbon mechanism. This latter' may be of the sortdescribed in the patent to John H. Barr No. 1,153,668 dated September14, 1915. The showing in the drawing of the shaft 46, arm 56 and link 57are intended as a conventional representation of a bi-color ribbonmechanism. This mechanism has heretofore been used in the Remingtonmachine, and it causes a credit balance to be printed in red; but inthese machines one or more carbon copies are usually printed, and theseare not affected by the color mechanism and therefore they would show novisible distinction between a credit and a debit balance. Thisdistinction on the carbon copies is supplied by my improvements.

According to the present invention, the shaft 46 is connected to controlthe action of the link 22. To that end said shaft may have fixed thereona horizontal arm 58 which is connected by a. vert-ical link 60 with anarin 61 projecting forward from a rock shaft 62 suitably pivoted in thebase of the typewriter and extending from side to side thereof justabove the printing key levers. Near the right-hand side of the machinethis shaft has fixed thereto an upstanding arm 63 which is connected bya link 64 with the link 22 hereinbefore described. The construction issuch that when the shaft 46 is in the position indicated in the drawingsthe link 22 occupies its forward f position in which the key 18 would becaused to print a star. The depression of the key 51 would rock the link22 to its rear position where it would cause the printing of CR ondepression of the key 18.

As described in my prior Patent No.

' narily rock together,

1,587,304above refereed to, the einer 44, 45 is not fixed to the shaft46 but is connected with said shaft yieldingly so that whereas saidlever and said shaft ordinarily rock together still by the applicationof alittle extra force the one can be rocked independently lof theother. Said shaft has fixed on its fol'- ward end a hub 65 from whichproject wings v66, that can be manipulated by the fingers of theoperator. As shown in VF ig. 2, said hub has a longitudinal hole 67 inwhich is seated a compression spring 68 acting on a ball y70, pressingsaid ball part-way into depressions 71, F ig. 3, in the lever 44, 45.This springpressed ball couples the shaft 46 and the lever togethersufficiently well so that they ordibut when the key -51 is locked in itsdepressed position the wings 66 and .the shaft 46 can be turned by'handclockwise, forcing the ball 70 out of one 'of the depressions 71 andinto the other. The relative motion between the shaft and the lever isliniited by a pin 72, Fig. 1, projecting from the shaft 46 into a notch73 in the hub of the lever 44, 45, rsaid notch being Wider than the pin.This construction is not essential but it is useful because itissometimes desired to depress the key 51 for some other purpose than thatof copying a credit balance and of such .a

sort that it is not desired to write the number in red. In that case thekey 51 can be depressed and the wing 66 moved clockwise whereupon thecross master wheel will be reversed, but the printing will be in black.In all instances, however, where the key 51 is operated preliminarily tothe printing of a credit balance the shaft 46 is rocked for red printingand the action of the key 18 will therefore be modified to cause saidkey` to print CR instead of a star. It will thus be seen that ordinarilythe shifting of the link 22 to select between two different clearance'signals to be printed, is controlled by the mechanism for reversing themaster wheel, but that this selection can be made to harmonize with thecolor of the printing irrespective of the setting of the master wheel.

So far as I am aware it is broadly new in a combined typewriting andcomputing Inachine equipped with the sort sometimes called a star key toprovide means for causing this key tov print one character to indicateclearance of one kind of balance, and another character to indicateclearance of another kind of balance.

Various changes may be made in the details of construction andarrangement without departing from the invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of a totalizer, clearance-proof mechanism for saidtotalizer including two types, and means for operating said types, lsaidoperating means controlled as to operativeness by the state of saidtotalise:-

a clearance proof key of l as to clear and not clear and controlledselectively according as the balance cleared from said totalizer waspositive or negative.

2. The combination with a totalizer having means for testing its stateas to clear and not clear, of two clearance-proof types, and means foroperating said types selectively according as the balance cleared tromsaid totalizer was positive or negative, said means being controlled asto operativeness by said clearance testing means.

3. The combination with a totalizer and means settable to control theoperation of said totalizer to clear therefrom a positive balance and anegative balance, of clearanceprooi@` mechanism including two types,means for operating said types, said means being controlled as to itsoperativeness by the state of said totalizer as to clear and not clear,and means whereby said operating means acts selectively on said typesdepending upon the setting of said settable means.

4. The combination with a totalizer, means settable to control theclearing of said totalizer positively or negatively as the case may be,and clearance-prooi mechanism including two types, a key for operatingsaid types, means for locking said key in case said totalizer is notclear, and means for connecting said key with one or the other of saidtypes according to the setting of said settable means.

5. The combination With a totalizer, a device settable in one positionto cause said totalizer to be operated additively and in anotherposition to cause said totalizer to be operated subtractively, and meansfor testing said totalizer for clearance, of a clearancesignal-printingkey controlled as to its operativeness by said clearance testingmechanism, two clearance prooi types, and connections from said key tosaid types including a link controlled by said settable device, saidlink connecting said key with one of said types in one setting of saidsettable device and with the other ot' said types in the other setting`of said types.

6. In a combined typewriting and computing machine, the combination witha totalizer having means for testing its state of clear and not clear,and a reversing device to reverse the direction oi" operation of saidtotalizer, ot two type bars each carrying a clearance signal type, aclearance-proof key, a lock to prevent operation of said key when saidtotal-V izer is not clear, a connection from said key to said type bars,and means wherebv said setting means controls the connection of said keyto one of said type bars in one setting of said settable means and tothe other type bar in the other setting of said settable means.

7 In a combined typewriting and computing machine, the combination witha totalizer, printing means, a credit-balance key, meanswhereby saidcredit-balance key may erating means is controlled selectively asbetween the two types by the color controlling mechanism. l

Signed at the borough of Manhattan, city of New York, in the county ofNew York and State of New York, this 31st day of J an.,

FREDERICK A. HART.

